Newport Turn On The Style With Seven Tries

Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community Published 12:17 am 12th Jan 2002 post

Newport ended their Heineken Cup campaign on a record breaking note as they ran in seven tries in their 53-17 home win over Newcastle Falcons.
But there was more misery for Swansea as they flopped to a third successive defeat in Pool 3, going down 30-20 in Edinburgh.
Matthew Watkins and Jason Strange stole the show infront of a crowd of more than 8,000 at Rodney Parade as they notched 33 of their sides points between them.
Wales A centre Watkins, playing on the left wing, used his pace and power to bag a hat-trick of tries – the first by a Newport player in the Heineken Cup – while outside half Strange missed with only one of his nine kicks as he notched six conversions and two penalties.
Newport coach Ian McIntosh said he wanted to use the final two Pool 6 matches against Toulouse and Newcastle to give all his squad a run out before they face Llanelli next week.
This win will have put them in the perfedt frame of mind for that vital, top-of-the-table Welsh/Scottish League clash on Friday night.
Graham Henry was on hand to see Jason Forster open the try scoring with a solo try after nine minutes and Andy Marinos and Watkins followed suit as Newport sped into a 27-3 interval lead.
No 8 Andy Powell crashed over three minutes after the break and before the game ended Watkins had completed his hat-trick and replacement back row man Joe Powell also got in on the act.
And all the way through, Strange kept kicking the goals to pile on the agony for Newcastle.
To their credit, the Falcons never folded and inspired by England outside half Dave Walder they grabbed two second half tries to show what they are made of.
Swansea, meanwhile, were undone by the boot of Gordon Ross, who helped himself to 20 points as Edinburgh beat Swansea for the second time in quick succession at home.
At least Swansea had the satisfaction of notching their first tries of the tournament through Geraint Lewis and Scott Gibbs.
Other than that, it has been a miserable tiem for them in the Heineken Cup this season.